Submitted by peopleneedaplacetogo, who says:

The Wikipedia article for “Baghdad Metro” includes this unsourced image of a proposed network map. The way the colours are used in different directions is quite unusual but I guess makes sense if each colour corresponds to a destination (e.g. if destination signs on the front of trains are coloured).

Transit Maps says:

Hooray for reverse image search, which eventually revealed that this absolutely beautiful diagram was drawn by Richard Dragun of the Design Research Unit while he was a consultant designer on the Baghdad Metro project from 1981 to 1984.

The route colour designations – each colour always points towards a destination at the end of one of the four branches, rather than representing bi-directional travel – are certainly unusual, but they work quite effectively for a simple network like this. It’s the beautiful rendition of the system that really sells the concept, though: the interplay between the directional arrows and the diamond-shaped station markers is lovely, and the filigree cross-over route lines on either side of the main interchange station at Khalani are also executed very deftly. Heck, the concept even makes the ubiquitous railway “arrow of indecision” logo look great!

Our rating: A wonderful concept, beautifully drawn – a map that totally visually represents the place it was designed for, even if the system never came to fruition. Five stars!